The UFC today suspended one fighter and targeted sanctions for another following positive post-fight drug tests at UFC 153.

Retired light-heavyweight Stephan Bonnar, who tested positive for steroid Drostanolone, was suspended for one year while heavyweight Dave Herman, who came back positive for marijuana, was earmarked for a lesser suspension and drug treatment program.

UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner on Tuesday confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), adding that the promotion expects to introduce a new drug testing policy by the end of the year.

“We’re going to have a statement about random testing and more testing very soon,” he said. “We’re forming new policies. I’d say before (the) new year, we’ll have some more policies about drug testing.”

Bonnar is suspended until Oct. 13, 2013, or one year from the date of the event, which took place at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. Herman’s suspension should be decided late this week, Ratner said.

On Sunday, the UFC released a statement acknowledging the positive tests for both fighters and saying that both Bonnar and Herman admitted to their use of the substances they tested positive for. MMAjunkie.com on Friday was first to report the news of the positive tests.

In a non-title light heavyweight headliner, middleweight champ Anderson Silva stepped up a weight class to fight Bonnar on short notice. Silva won by first-round TKO. Bonnar this past week announced his retirement from the sport.

Herman fought former interim heavyweight champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the co-main event, and after a spirited effort submitted to the Brazilian star in the second round. It was his third consecutive loss inside the octagon.

The decision to suspend and order treatment for the heavyweight was informed by talks with officials from professional baseball, basketball and football, who drew a line between infractions involving recreational drugs and performance-enhancing drugs.

“We feel really strongly that there’s a difference between performance-enhancing drugs and street drugs such as marijuana,” said Ratner.

The UFC acts as an athletic commission when it holds events in locations where the sport isn’t regulated by a government body. It hires an independent drug testing laboratory to screen fighters, which flagged Bonnar and Herman following UFC 153.

Middleweight Chris Leben in late 2008 tested positive for the steroid stanozolol following the promotion-regulated UFC 89 and was suspended for nine months and fined. In 2011, he was flagged for a prescription painkiller following a fight with Mark Munoz at UFC 138 and issued a one-year suspension.

Following UFC 120 in October 2010, heavyweight Vinicius Queiroz tested positive for Stanozolol and was released from the promotion. UFC 89, 120 and 138 all took place in England.

In all, five UFC fighters have been suspended in the past month, including three by domestic athletic commissions.

“We have to be more vigilant and the commissions have to be more vigilant,” Ratner said. “We want a level playing field, and we really do care about having the sport clean. We want the message out there that no matter where (fighters compete), there’s going to be testing.”

Ratner said the Sweden-based sanctioning body International Mixed Martial Arts Federation, which is endorsed by the UFC, is evaluating proposals for the creation of a sanctioning body in Brazil. The UFC hopes to hand off duties to the new commission in January.

The UFC currently tests all fighters who sign with the promotion in addition to those competing on “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series. However, a random testing program, which is widely believed to be the best deterrent to illicit drug use, is not yet in place.

A total of 26 fighters got their chance to shine on Saturday as part of UFC 190 at Rio de Janeiro’s HSBC Arena. Now that UFC 190 is in the books, it’s time to commence MMAjunkie’s “Three Stars” ceremony.

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